Scorched Spartoi
The Scorched Spartoi are a Successor Chapter created from the gene-seed of the Imperial Fists during the 24th Founding in M39. With the collapse of the Jericho System, this Scorched Spartoi were initially created, along with several other Chapters, to help prepare to defend against the darkness that had already been well on its way by M37. Being a younger Chapter, they are very ambitious and eager to leave their mark. As a Codex Chapter they try their best to follow the Codex Astartes but will at times will stray from it to conform to their personalised tactics of blitz warfare. So far, this Chapter has been almost completely wiped out, twice, due to their stubbornness and refusal to make a strategic retreat in the face of the enemy, even when it was beneficial for them to do so. This is due their battle-brothers having been ingrained with the Chapter's doctrine of once they have become engaged in battle, there is no direction but forward. Chapter History *Unfinished The Scorched Spartoi were founded during the 24th founding in the 39th millennium with the purpose to prepare to defend against the darkness that had already been well on it’s way by the 37th millennium. With the collapse of the Jericho System the High Lords of Terra knew they would need more chapters, the Scorched Spartoi being one of them. Maliki Akkad was chosen to be the Chapter Master of the new chapter, and through the time of creation, he watched proudly as his new battle-brothers took their first steps as Astartes. He was given command of Battle-fleet Midus ''and a time referred to by the ''Scorched Spartoi ''as ''"Aetas Infantiae" ''began. Recorded Significant Events '[Incident Incelebratus] REDACTED' On the dawn of the 41st millennium an event took place that vanished from records, the Librarians taking great measures to ensure what happened stayed hidden. All that is known is that something happened on Inseriah and it's impact was enough for every marine who knew of it to swear an oath of silence to never speak of it. The Inquisition became very curious and were angered when results couldn't be found. Nevertheless they sent a spy to watch Maliki and other chapter officials to see if they could hear anything of interest. Eventually they did hear something, but the spy himself was so taken aback by what he had heard that his position was revealed, and he was briefly executed. The Inquisition has denied any involvement. ''Invasion of Inseriah (150.M40) * From the records of Governor Sheamus Ten of Inseriah * Compiled from the Mission Logs of ''Chapter Master Maliki Akkad ''of the ''Scorched Spartoi Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, by Librarian Julius'' * Imperial historical logs; as compiled by ''Commissar Jaxon Cod, 43rd Cadian Regiment of the Imperial Guard'' The age of infancy had ended, and the Scorched Spartoi were now the honorable men Maliki always knew they would become. In other areas of the galaxy, the planetary system Qelox was ready to be colonized by the Imperium but there was a catch. The planet Inseriah, which was the richest in minerals, and an important potential strategic location was being swarmed by forces of Chaos and for the Imperium to claim it they first had to cleanse it. The Scorched Spartoi were the ones who took up this task and Maliki couldnt have been more ecstatic. Battle, death, honor, and possibly a new home awaited him and his men. Once they were in orbit of Inseriah they sent a message to a nearby Imperial Guard transport ship and asked them for assistance securing land as the marines moved. The Imperial Guard commander accepted, and as soon as the marines dropped from orbit in their pods, the Guardsmen followed. Once on the planet, orders were sent to build field fortifications ASAP, but there was no time as orbital drones spotted a mob of Chaos Marines heading their direction. Caught off guard, the invading forces were shocked to find the Chaos forces were expecting them. With nowhere to turn and no way to cover their flanks, morale heavily dropped. After a moment of complete silence a Guardsman shouted "Dig! Dig into the soil as much as you can!". The soldiers and marines present didn't think twice and immediately dug giant trenches in preparation. Once they showed, charging from only one flank instead of the 4 as expected, a squad of Scorched Spartoi scouts and a squad of Cadian shock troops went underground attempting to locate the enemies predicated field of movement. Once the two squads found it, they planted heavy explosives on their position and issued an order for a bombardment once the devices detonated. They barley got back in time to rejoin their allies who were firing at the bulk of the horde that was in full force, darting towards them like a bolter round. Once they approached the area, Guardsman Zolkien of the 43rd Cadian regiment activated the device. The explosion that followed was so bright it was easily visible from space, which made it especially easy for the ensuing bombardment to take place. Getting out of the trenches Maliki ordered his Space Marines to form in a tight charging formation, and commanded the Dreadnoughts to start moving up along with the Guardsmen's tanks. Once the armored units made good progress Maliki ordered every man still standing to charge the enemy horde which was reduced to the size of their own forces. After slaughtering the last of the Chaos forces, the men of the Imperium rested but were soon attacked once more by Chaos spawn, the twisted creatures now coming at every flank. This kind of attack is what the marines and guardsmen had expected earlier but instead of digging in for defense they stood their ground. The men of the Emperor rallied behind the explosive boom of Chapter Master Maliki's speech and firmly held their ground. The battle was won and after a short campaign the Scorched Spartoi were awarded their new home planet. Sheamus Ten was appointed as planetary governor. Fortress-Monastery The Scorched Spartoi’s fortress-monastery, "New Haven" is located on Inseriah in an unknown underground location. Only the planetary governor, his immediate family, the priests who bring those who have business there, and Maliki know it's true location. Those who wish entrance must seek out a Chaplin, give their reasons for being there, and await as he leads them to a heavily guarded tram station that's only destination is the fortress-monastery. The tram itself is guarded by sentries and it moves in such a way that nobody would be able to tell the way it's moving. Various tech-jamming devices are placed throughout, rendering tracking devices as well as compasses useless. Once the visitor and priest arrive they're, based on their status within the chapter and Imperium, are asked to close their eyes and remain silent when walking down the main corridor to respect the holy worship that occurs routinely. Upon entering the Great Wall one would see gigantic paintings and murals of the Emperor, ancient Terra, and images of glorious battle. The apothecarium is sometimes referred to by battle-brothers as a morgue more than a medical center due to the chapter’s history of fighters always looking death straight in the eye. The armoury is overall what you would expect, except there's a failsafe designed to destroy everything within it if required. The chapter-master’s quarters has been replaced by a conference room, as the chapter-master is required to be housed with the rest of the chapter in the company blocks. The communal dormitories are an entirely separate wing, their living conditions the same as their masters. The librarium is the second most decorated area in the fortress-monastery, with magnificent artwork placed throughout. The reclusiam is where one would be most likely to find Joan Rev. Recruitment'''' The Scorched Spartoi recruit throughout the Qelox system, although they prefer to recruit from their home planet Inseriah. In recent years there has been a spike in recruitment, the most likely cause to this being the rising of Chaos forces and the fresh attention the chapter has been receiving as of late. Rite of Selection Aspirants who wish to join the chapter’s ranks are firstly put through moderate training that does not necessarily put them to their limit, secondly they’re treated very well in an effort to get them comfortable and get their guard down. Thirdly they’re sent to a barren planet of the recruiter's choice where everything “goes wrong”. Aspirants lose their ability to communicate through their comms and it seems as though there's nobody listening in, when in reality their every move is being watched. The aspirants soon find out that their weapons have no ammunition in them which renders them powerless against the “traitor” space marines who capture them. They’re taken to a dark, desolate location where the marines bind him and tell the aspirant to renounce the emperor or else they will be tortured and subsequently killed. This is a test of the aspirants will and courage in the face of death, as well as a test of his faith. If he refuses to give in, he’s “rescued” by a small squad who were sent down to save him. He’s brought back to orbit and his training continues, this time tougher and more brutal than before. If he does however renounce the emperor he is released and left marooned on the planet, a fate worse than a mere execution. Gene Seed Gene-Stock Purity The Scorched Spartoi have the "New Generation" gene seed variant, making them divergent from their Imperial Fist father-chapter, though the respect they bear for them is massive, regardless. This has been embraced by the chapter whom see themselves as a force able to stand on it's own with no guidance other than the heroic examples of Rogal Dorn and the teachings that Chapter Master Maliki Akkad has set into place. Gene-Seed Deficiencies Scorched Spartoi Battle-Brothers, noble and mighty as they may be, do suffer from instabilities in their gene-seed. The genetic deficiencies include the complete loss of the Betcher's Gland and Sus-an Membrane, the curse known as Dorn's Darkness which affects other Imperial Fist successor chapters, and the dangerous deficiency affecting only the Scorched Spartoi that has since been named "The Mark of Damnation" which will affect every Scorched Spartoi at a given point in time. The Mark of Damnation The largest genetic flaw of the Scorched Spartoi, The Mark of Damnation, was tragically forever placed in their Gene Seed after a mistake in their initial development made to prevent them from all dangers of flames, including that of hell-fire. Unpredictable, the flaw heats the skin of the affected Astartes to such a grand amount, it all but kills him. This gives the marine such unbearable pain that they begin to spiral into almost total insanity if they are not granted death. Rumors have sparked that those Scorched Spartoi who are killed un-honorably while suffering from this rise from where they die, as skeletal warriors engulfed by fire. Those rumors have caused other Imperial organizations to have a general distrust of them, excluding fellow successors of the Imperial Fists. Battle Cry The battle cry of the Scorched Spartoi is "Nemo gradum retro", a high gothic sentence translating into lower gothic as "No step back". This shout of war has also been adopted as the offical motto of the chapter, the words being displayed in royal purple inside of New Haven. Chapter Appearance & Colors Heraldry The symbol of the Scorched Spartoi is the mythological helm supposedly worn by the undead warriors of ancient Terran mythology, of which the chapter is named after. It is held as sacred by the marines of not only the chapter, but also all Imperial citizens whom live in the Qelox system. Battle-Brothers are required to maintain the symbol with extreme care and display it proudly in the field, making standard bearers all the more important in combat. Chapter Livery The Scorched Spartoi don royal purple colored power armor, gold on their chest plate symbol, and show their heritage through a black color that covers the top half of their helmet. These colors have become not only the color of the chapter itself, but also their home planet of Inseriah. Company Colors Like their father chapter, Scorched Spartoi do not use various company colors, but rather show their company by an insignia on the left knee Non-Astartes Scorched Spartoi treat their serfs and other non-astartes exceptionally better than most chapters due to their belief that no mortal man is higher than the other, including themselves. They see their serfs as assistants rather than slaves and Imperial Guardsmen as allies rather than interruptions. The Scorched Spartoi hold non-astartes groups like the Adeptus Mechanicus in high regard, and to show their respect they gift equipment that is no longer in use. The largest donation was after the Inseriah invasion when Battlefleet Midus could no longer be fully maintained and operated. After being granted enough ships to form a decent fleet, they gifted the remainder of Midus to the Mechanicus. Combat Doctrine The Scorched Spartoi follow the rules laid out by the Codex Astartes as much as possible, although they sometimes stray from this to utilize the Blitzkrieg assault doctrine. Because of this, artillery and armored units are referred to as exceptionally holy and righteous men by the chapter's preachers. In combat, retreat is never an option. The danger one faces when fighting a Scorched Spartoi is very high, the reason behind this being that the chapter teaches that attempting to flee from the enemy in ANY way while in an engagement will bring massive dishonor onto the chapter as well as the Imperium itself. Combine this with the average battle-brother's fanatical love for the Emperor, his Imperium, and his fellow battle-brothers, and you get an already deadly space marine with no choice but to take as many of his foes with him in death as possible. This type of stubbornness is arguably based off of the courageousness of Ollanius Pius, who stood his ground not moving a single inch in the face of death during the Horus Heresy. Special Equipment Scorched Spartoi tactical squadrons are armed with a modified bolter that has a sharp, electrically charged bayonet in the front optimized for CQC and charges. Artillery vehicles and tanks are noticeably larger than other chapters' variations, and are designed specifically for fast assaults. Their armor is designed to last long enough for infantry to rush in and take the heat off them so they can resume their destruction with less difficulty. Chapter Fleet The Scorched Spartoi host a mighty fleet of their own, granted upon them during their founding. This Battle-Fleet Midus hosts 2 Battle Barges, 6 Strike Cruisers, and 6 Gladius Class Frigate. There was once a third Battle Barge with three more escort ships, but they were all destroyed in defense of Cadia. Chapter Beliefs/Philosophy Scorched Spartoi believe that no man is superior to the other except for he, the God Emperor. While military and faith are core elements, they also learn about the arts. While it might sound strange, they believe this to be a way to reconnect to their humanity and remind themselves of what a peaceful future can look like. But longing for peace is different from being peaceful constantly. In battle they are noted as being exceptionally violent and angry, their rage getting the attention of even the most battle-hardened marine. A Scorched Spartoi will go to great lengths to finish the fight even if it means their entire company is destroyed in the process, which runs them into tight situations at times. Also no stranger to gore, they will rip apart their enemies piece by piece and not even stop to wipe the entrails off of them, almost as if it was just like a gentle breeze. But even being some of the most violent the Imperium has to offer, they're noted as being excellent diplomats and peace-keepers. Current Status * All forces have been mobilized and deployed while new alliances are attempting to be formed with other chapters. * The return of Roboute Guilliman has sent the chapter into a frenzy, with Maliki already preparing to swear allegiance should he embark on another Great Crusade. No matter what choices Roboute makes, no matter how contradictory to their faith, the Scorched Spartoi will support the Primarch. * Scorched Spartoi forces have been sent to a number of places in the Imperium, the most noteworthy being Ultramar. Fast recruitment has kept their numbers at peak condition. Allies Imperial Guard Cadian regiments The remaining Cadian regiments are the Imperial Guardsmen that the Scorched Spartoi admire the most, the feeling being mutual. This mutual respect can be attributed to the actions of Guardsman Zolkien West, a Cadian-born that became good friends with Chapter Master Maliki, who on numerous occasions demonstrated what Space Marines and Guardsmen could achieve together. Space Marines Imperial Fists The Imperial Fists, although separating themselves from their successor-chapter, are held in high regard by the Scorched Spartoi, so much so that the Imperial Fist banner is proudly displayed right next to the Scorched Spartoi's own in New Haven. Should threat of invasion ever come to Terra, the Scorched Spartoi will be among the first to be contacted. Ultramarines As the examples of virtue and heroism, the Scorched Spartoi naturally took a liking to the Space Marines of Ultramar. As soon as the Realm of Ultramar fell under invasion, the Scorched Spartoi moved in to assist and take off pressure, which caught the eye of the Ultramarines. The first company even volunteered to act as his bodyguard on his crusade to Terra, but they were respectfully denied. The two chapters formed a pact to always cooperate to the best of their abilities with the two are currently fighting back Chaos forces side by side. Bygone Sons The Scorched Spartoi have recognized this chapter as living symbols of humanity that no matter the cost, will always protect those who fly the Imperium's might banner. For this an alliance is greatly being considered, although Maliki's recent hostility toward the Inquisition, an ally of the Bygone Sons has not gone unnoticed. A meeting between the two chapter masters might be held to discuss this. Category:ZestyJesty420 Category:Imperial Fists Successors Category:24th Founding